1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to toy crossbow systems that project toy arrows into flight. More particularly, the present invention relates to the structure of toy projectile launchers and the mechanisms for loading and releasing projectiles.
2. Prior Art Description
Crossbows that are designed for child's play have existed since the Middle Ages. In the modern era, toy crossbows typically have a plastic molded body and an elastic string. The string is drawn along a rail on the toy's body and is locked to a trigger. Arrows, sometimes referred to as “bolts”, are launched by placing the arrow on the rail in front of the drawn string. The trigger is released, therein causing the string to move forward and propel the arrow into flight.
Due to the nature of its design, any crossbow, including toy crossbows, are capable of launching most any object that is placed on the rail in front of the string. Although a toy crossbow may be sold with safety projectiles, a child can easily launch a stick or a metal-cast toy model with equal ease. It will therefore be understood that even toy crossbows can become dangerous if loaded with unsafe projectiles and used in an unwise fashion.
Another problem with toy crossbows is their tendency to misfire after being used for a period of time. Toy crossbows mostly have an all-plastic construction. In most crossbow designs, the string of the crossbow must be drawn and set into the trigger catch before the projectile is set in place. This produces a significant amount of wear against the plastic trigger catch. As the plastic trigger catch begins to wear, it diminishes in size. This tends to cause the string to slip from the trigger catch and fire before the projectile is set or before the projectile can be directed toward a safe target. Consequently, the toy crossbow can become an unsafe product.
A need therefore exists for a toy crossbow design that enables the toy crossbow to shoot only the safety projectiles that are packaged with the toy crossbow. Furthermore, a need exists for a crossbow design that improves the trigger mechanism in a manner that inhibits misfiring. These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed below.